Designing Choosing the Future raised an unusual publishing question: should a business novel be categorized as fiction or business? This case study explores book positioning, KDP categories, subtitle refinement, and balancing professional credibility with storytelling.

To gain perspective, I created a PDF showing all four covers and shared it with friends and colleagues. Over lunch with two retired friends, both immediately favored the fourth option—San Pablo Pier—describing it as more distinctive and visually interesting than typical photography book covers.

Metadata is a must for every author. Because the publishing industry evolves constantly, authors should revisit and update their metadata regularly—especially the book description, keywords, and categories. Even small updates can improve visibility and boost sales.

Designing Singing the Gospel meant capturing the energy and spirit of gospel music in a single image. After striking out on traditional stock photo sites, I turned to Creative Commons and discovered a powerful image of the Howard Gospel Choir that brought the cover to life. With a glowing background, curved typography, and thoughtful layout, the final design truly sings.

Who’s responsible for cleaning up a messy manuscript—the author, editor, or designer? After working on two poorly formatted books, I share what went wrong, what worked, and why using Word styles can save hours in the design process.

What does it really take to help a first-time author self-publish a niche book? From fixing awkward layouts to strengthening cover design and maximizing those final pages, here’s a behind-the-scenes look at coaching a friend through the process.

If you love typography, vintage lettering, and elegant script fonts, Scripts: Elegant Lettering from Design’s Golden Age is visual inspiration at its finest. This beautiful collection by Steven Heller and Louise Fili showcases hundreds of examples of hand-drawn typography, ornamental flourishes, and vintage trademark designs from around the world.

Some self-publishing advice stands the test of time. After revisiting Peter Bowerman’s The Well-Fed Self-Publisher, I realized that many of the core principles of book marketing and publishing are just as relevant today as they were in 2007. Here are eight timeless lessons every author should remember.

A review of Elegantissima: The Design & Typography of Louise Fili, a beautiful collection of branding, packaging, typography, and identity design work from one of the most influential designers in book and lettering design.

A visit to the library and a chance discovery of Cat Dog by Mem Fox and Mark Teague sparked memories of reading children’s books aloud and inspired reflections on children’s book design.

A recent webinar on profitable book marketing reinforced key publishing lessons every author should know—from defining your genre and writing compelling blurbs to researching keywords, building a mailing list, and understanding your target audience. As a book designer, I share the marketing insights that help authors create books readers notice and buy.

A simple pocket-sized prayer book became one of the most memorable projects of my career. From paper selections and gold-foil stamping to spot-raised UV and soft-touch laminate, every detail was carefully considered to create a keepsake worthy of its purpose. This case study shares the design journey behind The Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order and the collaborative effort that made it a conference success.